Here, where the streets of downtown's business district angle down around Elliott Bay to the south, are the flatlands where Seattle was first built. Nightclubs, art galleries, tourist shops, design firms and restaurants dominate Pioneer Square. The area's First Thursday art walk draws huge crowds to the studios, galleries and street performers, and the nightclubs keep the neighbourhood buzzing with activity till wee hours of the morn'. The kitschy Underground Tour explaining Seattle's early history is a perennial tourist favorite, as is the more sober Klondike Gold Rush Museum, which details the Yukon gold fever that made Seattle richer. Yesler Way, which slices the neighbourhood in half, has a footnote in history as the original "skid row". There are also several small parks in the area, including the quiet Waterfall Park, the shady cobblestones of Occidental Park, and the totem-pole decorated triangle at First and Yesler, Pioneer Place Park. The neighbourhood also marks the popular shopping destination of the city, famous for all kinds of knickknacks such as tapestries, rare artworks, books and what-nots!
When looking for bags in Seattle, Tom Bihn is one store that will not water down your expectations. This specialty shop has a whole line of backpacks, messenger bags, laptop bags and travel bags. A commitment to detail and quality-control, comfort and sharp designs make Tom Bihn bags a winner in every aspect. Intelligent design and durability is a feature that many Tom Bihn users will vouch for. Tom Bihn bags are truly top class an testament to what an ideal bag should be like.
Kiko, a renowned designer from Manila, uses his expert skills to dress up brides in his gorgeous creations. Fabrics with the best texture go into the creation of any attire. Apart from bridal wear, you can also get a splendid evening gown designed by Kiko. Every tiny detail of the garment, right from the lace to the bead work, is stitched with extreme care. Though the store is open daily, schedule an appointment before your visit.
Popping the question is a landmark experience in most people's life, and the staff at Lisa Esztergalyos Jeweler understand the seriousness behind it. For them, diamonds are not just rocks that shine, or meaningless shimmering stones. Lisa Esztergalyos, proudly brings her talent of honing diamonds to the people of Seattle. The staff here boasts of Lisa Esztergalyos herself, who treats each piece of glittering rock with utmost care and attention. You can not only buy jewelry here but also get your old yet cherished jewels and diamond rings, polished and re-sized.
Located on 15th Avenue, the Cadence Winery is known for its incredible Bordeaux vintages. Their in-house wines are Bel Canto, Camerata, Tapteil, Ciel Du Cheval and Coda. The wines are often flavored with other fruits and spices. Dark cherry is the most common fruit used to add flavor along with other ingredients. For instance, the Bel Canto 2012 has a distinct flavor of dark cherries while the Ciel Du Cheval has a herbs and dark cherry flavor.
The Swinery, a sustainable eatery and food shop, is extremely popular among meat-lovers in West Seattle. Focusing on sustainability, the shop sources its product from less than 300 miles (482 kilometers) away, buying from small local organic farmers. Using traditional techniques, this shop prides itself on using the whole animal and providing customers with hard to find cuts of meat. Find delicious steaks, sausages, pork chops and more to bring home for dinner or if you're not in the mood to cook, order one of their mouth-watering burgers or sandwiches.
If you love do-it-yourself projects but are too busy, Revisioned presents a collection of unconventional yet creative items made from reused everyday objects. From homemade soaps to bookmarks and jewelry, Revisioned adds their own twist to recycling.
2nd Cycle is a cycle center for the local community that encourages cycling. Whether you are an amateur or a pro cyclist, maybe even someone who loves to cycle occasionally, this place welcomes all. Everything you want to know about bikes and cycling, from literature to used parts is available here. They also host regular bike nights for women every Thursday. It is also a performance space and some of their previous line ups are Wolvserpent, Criminal Code and Pleasure Leftists.
Pure Vintage sells exactly as the name suggests. Pure vintage clothing and shoes for both men and women. If you love boots, their collection of trendy boots are extensive, ranging from knee length boots to gumboots to leather cowboy boots.
Set along North Proctor Street in Tacoma, Top Pot Doughnuts was established in the year 2002. This eatery has several stores that are spread across Washington. They are known for their variety of specially-crafted doughnuts. Along with scrumptious doughnuts, they even serve coffees and teas. This casual doughnut shop features an indoor seating area and also offers a fantastic selection of books for reading. The store sells a range of packaged coffees, mugs and printed t-shirts.